Cricket: Houghton makes his men safe

ZIMBABWE yesterday became only the second nation, after Australia, to avoid defeat in their inaugural Test when the match with India in Harare finished in a draw. Australia defeated England in the first Test match played, in Melbourne in 1877.

Dave Houghton, Zimbabwe's captain, declared his side's second innings at 146 for 4, with six of the mandatory last 20 overs bowled, and the teams agreed to a draw.

Houghton followed his 121 in the first innings with an unbeaten 41 in the second. Opener Andy Pycroft made 46. India were earlier bowled out for 307, John Traicos finishing with 5 for 86.

ZIMBABWE - First Innings 456 (D L Houghton 121, G W Flower 82; Prabhakar 3-66, Kumble 3-79).

INDIA - First Innings

(overnight: 278-7)

S V Manjrekar c sub (S Davis) b Jarvis 104

K S More c Traicos b Burnester 41

A R Kumble c A Flower b Burmester 0

J Srinath not out 6

Extras (b2 lb9 nb1) 12

Total 307

Fall cont: 8-287 9-294.

Bowling: Brandes 2-0-3-0; Burmester 39.4-18-78-3; Jarvis 38-17-73-1; Crocker 35-18-41-1; Traicos 50-16- 86-5; G Flower 5-0-15-0.

ZIMBABWE - Second Innings

K J Arnott not out 32

G W Flower c More b Kapil 6

A D Campbell b Kapil 0

A Pycroft lbw b Shastri 46

*D L Houghton not out 41

A Flower not out 1

Extras (b13 lb2 nb5) 20

Total (for 4) 146

Fall: 1-16 2-16 3-93 4-119.

Bowling: Prabhakar 14-4-22-1; Kapil 15-4-22-2; Tendulkar 4-3-8-0; Srinath 5-1-15-0; Kumble 9-1-17- 0; Raju 7-2-15-0; Shastri 12-4-32-1.

Umpires: H Bird, I Robinson and K Kantilal.

Match drawn.

ZIMBABWE TEAM (One-day international v India, Harare, Sunday): D Houghton (capt), A Flower, M Burmester, D Brain, A Campbell, G Crocker, C Evans, S Peall, G Flower, A Shah, J Traicos, A Waller.